Today, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan announced Mason Burdan and Joshua Mola of Hanover Central Middle School are the winning team of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Indiana’s First Congressional District. Mason and Joshua used JavaScript to create their winning application, “The Dark Forest.” Their application is a game designed for players to collect points under time restrictions while facing obstacles.
Congressman Mrvan stated, “Thank you to all of the outstanding students who showcased their tremendous talents in the Congressional App Challenge, and congratulations to Joshua and Mason from Hanover Central Middle School for their recognition and exceptional achievement. It is deeply encouraging to see such technological innovation and creativity in the youth of our region, and I thank all of the schools and teachers for their daily dedication to fostering and encouraging these skills.”
Mason Burdan stated, “I wanted to make a horror game for a while, as I really like to draw monsters and other creatures. I used my inspiration from 'survive the night' style games to put my own creative spin on things. I plan to use my coding and computer skills to become an architect and design houses.”
Joshua Mola stated, “I plan to use my coding skills to get a job in the computer coding industry, and to also continue to make games.”
Suzanne Demmond, Computer Science Teacher at Hanover Central Middle School stated, “STEM is so vital to education because it helps prepare students for adulthood, the workplace and society. Problem solving, working with technology and working with others is a broad example of what STEM really boils down to. If we want our youth to have a chance at becoming successful adults, STEM is the path they need and deserve.”
Thomas Martin, Principal of Hanover Central Middle School stated, “I am extremely proud of Josh and Mason. They are the true definition of a team. I love the way Mason explained, with pride, how he was the creative force of the project but was also very quick to give Josh all the credit for the technical end and complimented his coding skills. Josh spoke in the same way about how he did the coding while giving Mason the credit for the storyline. Both of them are very deserving of this award.”
Mary Tracy-MacAulay, Superintendent of Hanover Central School Corporation stated, “It’s wonderful to have Mason and Josh recognized for such an amazing accomplishment that embodies creativity and technology. They are great young men, and it will be wonderful to watch what the future holds for them both. It’s always a joy to see our kids succeed!”
Aco Sikoski, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Valparaiso Campus and Judge of the Congressional App Challenge stated, “It was an honor and privilege for me to serve as the judge for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Joshua and Mason for winning this year's completion. They did outstanding work. I would also like to express my gratitude to Congressman Mrvan for his encouragement and promotion of education through STEM.”
A demonstration video of the “The Dark Forest” app can be viewed here. “The Dark Forest” will be part of a rotating display in the U.S. Capitol. The app will also be featured on the House.gov website for one year, and the Congressional App Challenge will also highlight the app on its website.
118 students across Indiana’s First Congressional District participated in the 2023 Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide academic competition for Middle School (6th – 8th grades) and High School (9th – 12th grades) students to create and exhibit their software application, or "app," for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
To learn more about the Congressional App Challenge, click here.